I loved this book! I'm sorry it took so long to post about it; I waited to finish it by audiobook, and I'm so glad I did.

I sobbed! So much thought and effort went into the history, and the characters were well-rounded. Stephen and Danny have my heart.

It is such a beautiful and heartwrenching story, and the addition of the narrator singing the songs made it so bittersweet.

I would highly recommend it!

When I found out William Hussey was coming out with a book about gay WW1 soldiers, I knew I had to read it. WW1 has always been a particular interest of mine and I’m always up for queer literature.

As someone who studied the Somme at school, I knew a lot of what was coming historically. I think you can pick it up from the foreshadowing the author puts into it too, but either way, it was tense. Hussey built the tension skilfully and honestly I was gripped from the moment they started the big push.

There is honestly so much I loved about this book. From the beautiful love story of Stephen and Danny, the cameo from Siegfried Sassoon (if you know you know) and the intricate backstories for each of the characters. There was just so much to enjoy.

Such a good read.

So believable and real. William Hussey spent three years researching and writing this, and the result is a carefully recreated telling of young lives sent to the Somme, with a focus on the amazing men (boys really) who risked everything for a country which didn't acknowledge them as themselves. The characters and setting linger long after the last page.

An absolutely beautiful, haunting and bittersweet book that had me both swooning and crying throughout. You can really tell how well researched this was - the history so well woven into the narrative. An easy 5☆ read that I will be throwing at everyone to pick up!

William Hussey surely knows how to emotionally drain a reader.
The pacing of this was slower than I expected but I loved the character growth and the dynamics within the different relationships.
The length of the journeys the characters took and the vivid descriptions of the trenches really drove home the conditions and experiences of the soldiers fighting in WWI.
Danny was such a sweetheart with a solid moral compass and the backbone to stand up for what was right. I loved the different elements he brought out in Stephen and I enjoyed seeing their relationship develop.
I really enjoyed this genre switch as it is so different to Hussey's other books that I have read.

I was excited to see what this book would be bringing to the WW1 genre, but sadly I thought there was a lack of originality and emotional impact despite the fun banter.

There were some pretty unrealistic elements, especially the villain of the story who was comical in his portrayal. I honestly had a hard time believing the main characters were teenagers in terms of the maturity of their relationship,

The last 25% of the book was formatted and written exactly like my Year 7 assignment on the diary of a soldier in the Battle of the Somme. Also, I felt the ending was an easy way out for the author.

Though I did enjoy reading this to some extent, I was disappointed by the absence of individuality in this book to distinguish it from any other WW1 fiction.

Thank you to NetGalley and Andersen Press for providing a copy of this book for review. All opinions are my own.

✨My Thoughts✨
I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I was so emotionally invested in this book.

The characters and the emotionally charged story had me reading page after page.

It was beautiful.

The horrors of day to day life in the trenches really was harrowing to read about but Stephen & Danny have that little ray of hope and light that they hold onto with everything they’ve got.

If you’ve read the book you’ll know why i couldn’t stand the “Snake” and the “Toad” but thank god they had Captain Jackson on their side.

I have never hid the fact that William Hussey’s books are very hit or miss for me (The Outrage is one of my favourite books ever point blank, but some of his later works didn’t do anything for me) so when I was granted an ARC (twice over, actually) for The Boy I Love, I was nervous.

I had no reason to be.

It is a truly wonderfully written novel that delves into a side of the First World War that is missing from war literature, and it is presented in a way that is deft, gripping and so well researched.
It’s no secret that Hussey brilliantly crafts his characters so that it is easy for the reader to sympathise and root for them, and this work is no exception. The romance between Danny and Stephen is so poignant and captures how even in the darkest of times that love can prevail, but it is also written in a way that never once clouds the brutality of the period, and though it is at its heart a romance, it does not by any means make what the characters go through (and what real life men went through) okay, and there is a great skill and sensitivity in doing that.
Their story is one of truth for countless men during the war and Hussey is able to capture their story in a beautiful way.

The characters that we meet alongside Stephen’s journey are well developed and integral, leaving the reader aching for them, or seething at them. The trio of Danny, Percy and Robert, the respect shown to Ollie and Arthur, the slow break of the hardness Stephen carries. It is all so masterfully done.

Not to mention the way Hussey writes, almost inadvertently — in that the cast are not really aware that is what they are experiencing — about the soldiers PTSD and mental health is clearly so expertly researched and well handled.

A truly outstanding novel. Integral. Hussey should be proud.

Thank you to Andersen Press, Netgalley and Tandem Collective for the E-ARC and physical ARC respectively.

This beautifully written and meticulously researched novel captures the tender love between two soldiers amidst the horrors of war. William masterfully contrasts the brutality of the Somme with moments of hope and joy, crafting a lyrical and poignant story of love, courage, and resilience. The vivid portrayal of the struggles faced by Danny and Stephen, from the trauma of war to the heartbreak of hiding their true selves, is both devastating and uplifting.

What sets this novel apart is its delicate balance of stark realism and tender emotion. The vivid narrative brings to life the unimaginable horrors of war while celebrating the deep connections and humanity that soldiers clung to during such dark times. The love story at the heart of the novel feels both timeless and deeply relevant, reminding us of the bravery it takes to embrace love in a world that seeks to deny it.

Another powerful story that stays with you.

On the surface another war story of comradery and love amongst the trenches of WW1. However, the exquisite writing and the detailed description, makes this feel very true. The love story between Stephen and Danny is wrought with both brutality and tenderness as each carry the scars of those alongside them and those lost to the conflict. Utterly compelling and believable the tone is just right to engage YA readers.

Wow, what a book. It is written from the perspective of Stephen, a 19 year old officer who is heading back to the front line after suffering a horrific injury and mourning the loss of his first love. On his journey back to the front he meets Danny and a connection is instantly formed. The story takes place in the month leading up to the first day of the Battle of the Somme.

This novel is so incredibly well written and researched. It is heart-wrenching and hopeful. The writing connects you so deeply to Stephen and Danny, along with the other men of the company. It showcases how soldiers found love and friendship in the most adverse of circumstances whilst enduring horrors beyond our modern-day comprehension. This book took me through so many emotions, largely anger at the lies and injustice of WW1 on both sides of the war.

Oh my. What a read. Being sold as a YA gay love story set during the first World War seems a huge injustice to this book.
It's so much more than that, much more.
Set during 1916, Stephen is returning to France after recovering from injury. He could have had a desk job but decides to return to the front. There a young new soldier catches his eye, Danny, and there begins quite the journey.
However, as their love grows, you are taken through a very open, raw and somehow beautiful account of the horror of war. The hope, camaraderie among the men, the small things that lift them. You fall in love with all of them, except Beddowes. Never him. He's vile.
William manages, somehow, to contrast the mud, the blood and guns against beautiful descriptions of birds or the landscape unscarred by war.
You are aware as the love between Danny and Stephen grows, they are risking more than what the Germans can offer as its still illegal to be gay. You are also aware, that as the build up to the end of the book is in 1916, and we all know when the war ended. A clever little addition to the tension.
A love story it may have been, but those last few chapters done justice to the true horror of what it must have been like to go over the top.
The research done must have been immense and it shows. Small details that all add to the overall story.
Even on just the 8th day of a new year, I'm claiming an early contender for one of my books of the year.

This YA book is a joy to read, from start to finish. The book opens on 5th June 1916 where Second Lieutenant Stephen Wraxhall is waiting to get a train at St Pancras back to the Front. Despite serious injury he has turned down the opportunity for a desk job and is going back to the place where Michael, the man he loved, was killed. This authors Scott Jericho character is one of my favourites and I love his writing so I was looking forward to reading this although neither war books nor YA would be my normal choice. If you are the same then forget that and give this a read.

Briefly, on the train Stephen fleetingly meets Private Daniel ‘Danny’ McCormick and sees him again later, on the beach. For some reason he can’t then fathom Stephen has a feeling that if he can save Danny he might also save a part of himself, a part that died with Michael and all the men under Stephen’s command that he lost in his last battle. When he is given the chance to choose his own soldier-servant he asks for Danny. Their story is then told in the lead up to the Battle of the Somme and the immediate aftermath of the dreadful first day - 1st July 1916, with an Epilogue 2 years later on 13th December 1918.

This is such a heartrending story, it brought out all the emotions, and this rarely happens to me reading books but I might have shed a tear or two at one point. Obviously it was illegal then to be gay! And the punishment for anyone in the armed forces who was outed as gay was severe, very severe, so Stephen and Danny had to hide their growing friendship. They were two wonderful characters but there were also some vile characters, not least their superiors (in rank only!) Beddoes and Gallagher - I could have taken a gun to them myself. There is a lot of war in the books, obviously, but this is really just a love story, and a beautiful one. A tragic story of loss, so many young lives cut short in one day, but also of friendship, hope and love. I adored it.

...there'd been people like us all throughout history, and that we'd still be around right up till the final curtain was brought down on the human race."

This was my last read of 2024 and took the top spot for December. It also took me few days to process and then a bug hit the house so the review was delayed.

We join Stephen as he starts his journey back to the front and he meets Danny. Another young boy going to the front.

What follows is a beautiful and tragic story of brothers in arms, love, and class prejudices. WW1 had working class men and middle class men alongside upper class. Often your title was your qualification not your experience and plenty of old men sitting behind desks ordered the deaths of millions of young men. An entire generation lost over a football field size bit of land. The vile characters of Beddoes and Gallagher might sound like they cannot be real but they very sadly were.

There was so little known and little regard to human life. I could go on but I shan't.

Just know Danny and Stephens story is worth all the anger and heartbreaking you will feel.

Also I loved the cameo of Siegfried Sassoon. He and Wilfred Owen are ingrained from my school years and of course they were whitewashed. I need more historical stories that deal with the fact queer people have always been here and we always will be

I love historical fiction and this met my expectations. Against a war backdrop, this was a moving and sweet romance that will stay with me.

I’m very happy to confess upfront that I am definitely a fan of William Hussey’s writing so was ready to fall in love with this book as soon as I started to read it. The story brought tears several times but also anger as I read about the utterly pointless deaths of so many young men, sent to war when they weren’t even old enough to know how to look after themselves in normal circumstances. It seems utterly incomprehensible and unfair that gay soldiers were giving up their lives in defence of a country that demonised and shunned them and indeed would prosecute them if they dared to allow their sexuality, their very souls, to be known. Hussey’s writing shows great sensitivity but also doesn’t shy away from describing the harsh realities of war. Not an easy read but an important and moving one in my opinion.

I knew this was going to be good - it’s from William Hussey after all- but I didn’t expect my heart to be in pieces throughout the whole book.

19 year old Stephen is returning to the WW1 front line as a lieutenant; he has been promoted for surviving an atrocious onslaught in his previous role. He has huge survivors guilt, compounded by the loss of his secret childhood love Michael, who has also died in battle.

Stephen knows that he has become emotionally hardened and hollowed out by what he’s seen so far. When he meets new recruit Danny on the train back to the front, he feels a spark of who he used to be and a flicker of recognition for someone else like him. It is illegal be gay, of course, and if anyone finds out that Stephen is gay he is likely to be severely punished.


The bond between the men quickly grows, neither of them able to say what they would like to, but relying on the other more than they can say. They are tasked with sketching out the German frontline so that it can be attacked in what is promised to be a glorious guaranteed victory. Reading this over 100 years later, it is heartbreaking and utterly frustrating to know what’s ahead for the men.

Sublime writing that had me in tears again and again

William Hussey, take a bow.

I've read and enjoyed The Outrage and Broken Hearts and Zombie Parts, so I knew I would enjoy The Boy I Love. But I didn't just enjoy it, I felt it with every fibre of my being and wanted to both devour it and take my time with it. This is Hussey's best work so far, and that's saying something because he was already doing pretty well. I was astounded with the level of intricate detail in this novel. Anyone would think Hussey served in WWI given the level of detail he has included in terms of the logistics, the hierarchies, the strategic manoeuvres etc.

When it comes to the two main characters, Stephen and Danny are really well realised though Hussey's writing. When we meet Stephen, he is set to return to the front following a period of leave. His former platoon was lost in the trenches to German bombers and he was the sole survivor, living with that guilt and feeling totally unworthy of the medal for bravery he received as a result. We learn that despite being raised by a vicar, he grew up exploring his sexuality with another local boy, Michael, but Michael has already died at war and Stephen is devastated to have lost the boy who helped him learn who he was. However, Stephen meets another young soldier on his journey back to France, Danny, and feels an instant connection. Stephen decides to do for Danny what he could never do for Michael; he makes a vow to himself to protect Danny, and he manages to get him transferred to his own platoon. During their arduous journey to the front, Stephen and Danny begin to fall in love. These moments are gentle and evocative. I found myself rooting for them and turning the page in eagerness to see how they're relationship would progress.

I have seen some reviews criticise the speed of Stephen and Danny's relationship, but we have to consider the circumstances they found themselves in and that being sent to the front, watching their peers die around them, never knowing how much longer they would have, having both already experienced trauma etc would impact the urgency of their love for each other. It's rather foolish to take all of this into consideration and still say "but they fell in love too soon" or "Stephen moved on from Michael too quickly". We can't even begin to understand what it would have felt like to march towards your almost inevitable death. Of course they skipped a few stages. And I'm so glad they did because I adore them together.

This is a very worthwhile read for anyone interested in love stories, particularly LGBTQ+ romance, and/or war stories. A great choice for school libraries with KS4 or KS5 students. I don't think this for younger students because Stephen and Danny are both 19 and the complexity of their situation within the context of the time period would be lost; although maybe very well read Year 9s might be able to appreciate it.

Thank you to netgalley and Andersen Press for the ARC.

I went into this expecting a YA WWI romance. I'm a little jaded perhaps, but far too often people use 'YA' as a label to be a little laissez-faire for my liking, just because your audience is younger doesn't mean they deserve any less of a rich story, or any covering up of the glossier parts of the truth. This is even more poignant for stories that are set in WWI. For me as a kid in London I remember being taken to WWII shelters, and being shown reconstructions of WWI trenches, being taught about the horrors of war, about trench foot, and talking to WWII survivors.

It may be simply that I'm older now, but at the time none of it made sense, I couldn't emotionally connect with it, with the loss. When you're 13, 18 seems old, when you're 37, 18 seems like a child.

This was a remarkably well done book, I hadn't expected it to be set in 1916, I'd expected more 1918, but that's entirely on me, and while there was a little glossing over of the end, it was still a fitting ending.

Well researched, relatable characters, and a compelling story. Was it a HEA? I'd say it was as HEA as you'd expect whilst keeping it realistic, which actually, I value a lot more than historicals that make everything magically OK for queer characters.

5*

Utterly poignant.
If ever there was a missing piece of history that needed to be redressed , it is this and Hussey does it so beutifully through a love story against the backdrop of war. Beautifully empathetic, really authentic and although the love story is the draw, Hussey somehow manages to keep the reader fully aware of how awful it must have been.
Loved it!